Bristle-probang.



No. 680,936. 4 Patented Aug. 20, ISM. R. P. MCCULLY.

BRISTILE IPRBANG.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1899.)

(llo Model.)

linmean Sterns Farrar Orrrcn.

RICHARD P. MCOULLY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW IYORK.

BRlSTLEPROBNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 680,986, dated August20, 1901.

Application filed December 27, 1899. Serial No. 741,771. (N0 model-l Toall whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD P. MCOULLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBristle-Probangs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use thesame. Y

My invention relates to surgical instruments, and particularly to thatinstrument technically termed a bristle-probang, the function of whichis to remove fishbones or other obstructions that may become lodged inthe throat or esophagus.

The main object of my invention is to provide an instrument of the abovecharacter which is simple, effective, and durable, the' parts of whichmay be easily and quickly detached or assembled without the use oftools. This feature is one of recognized importance, because it permitsevery part to be thoroughly sterilized or otherwise rendered antiseptic.any new part, if desirable or necessary. The bristlehead beingindependent, a surgeon ownin g one of these instruments may keep instock a number of bristle-heads, which may, if desired, vary in size andwhich he may use as desired. This permits the use of the bristlc-headonly once, after which it may be thrown away and replaced by another.Heretofore these instruments have been made in such manner that theycannot be dismembered. rlhe bristle-heads have been permanently attachedto the other parts of the probang, and consequently no variation in sizeis possible, nor is it possible to replace an old bristle-head with anew one. The construction of the bristle-head is such that it isdifficult to thoroughly cleanse and antisepticize the same. Consequentlythe old instruments, such as referred to, have been found objectionablein that there is danger of the retention in the instrument of somecontaminating germ. The old instrument therefore can be used With safetyonly once, after which it should be discarded. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis It also permits thesubstitution of.

a side elevation of my invention as it appears in its normal shape.Figs. 2, 3, and 4t are side elevations of details; and Fig. 5 is an endView of the detail shown in Fig. liE-to Wit, the bristle-head.

In the drawings, A. is a bristle-head which comprises a number ofelastic bristles, usually pig bristles, which are laid evenly andsecured at the ends by suitable wrappings d d. Small tubes Z1 arepreferably inserted within each end of the bristleehead to form apassage and bushing for the operating or dilating rod, later referredto, so that said rod will not bind thereon, but may slide freely throughone end of the bristle-head during the operation of the instrument andmay pass freely through both ends of the bristle-head when said partsare being separated.

The finished bristle-head assumes a somewhat-elliptical form, so thatwhen the ends CZ d are moved toward each other the intermediate portionof the bristle-head expands laterally or is dilated into umbrella form,each bristle forming a snare, oneor more of which in operation engagethe foreign substance which maybe lodged in the throat or esophagus,which foreign substance is removed upon the withdrawal of saidinstrument. ln this respect the bristle-head acts in the usual manner. i

B is a tubular portion termed the stem, which portion is preferablyformed of metal. A preferred way of making this tube is to shape a steelWire into spiral form closely wound, so as to give the appearance of atube, thus giving to said stem sufficient flexibility to permit it to beinserted into the esophagus or Withdrawn with perfect safety.

D is an operating-handle for the stem B, which handle preferably hasanges a n. At the inner end of the stem there is a cup-like projectionor socket g, the function of which is to engage and preferably cover oneend of the bristle-head, as hereinafter described.

O is a dilating or operating rod, preferably in the form of a iiexiblewire. At one end of the operating-rod O is a suitable socket e, saidsocket e being secured to said rod O by means of a screw-threadforotherwise. At the other end e' of the rod O may be secured anoperating-handle E in the form of a ring, which may IOO have a tubularextension F, the bore of which is adapted to receive the end t' of theoperating-rod.

h is a thumb-screw carried by the tubular extension F, which thumb-screwis adapted to detachably bind the parts C and E together.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the operating-rod Cpasses freely through the tubular stem B. The handle upon the stem B maybe engaged between the first and second finger. The thumb may engage thering E. By separating said parts the sockets gfare caused to approacheach other, and thus expand or dilate the bristlehead into the aforesaidumbrella shape.

In operation the instrument (in the form shown in Fig. l) is passed intothe esophagus. The bristle-head A is then dilated, and the instrument iswithdrawn While the head is in the dilated form. This withdrawal of thedilated bristle-head will dislodge and remove any foreign substance thatmay be located in its path. The flexibility of the instrument avoids anydanger of tearing or lacerating the membrane. Then the foreign substancehas been removed, the thumb-screw 77, may be loosened, the handle Eremoved, and the stem B slid o the operating-rod C, leaving the parts asshown in Fig. 2. The bristlehead A may then be slid off theoperating-rod C and thrown away. The parts, which are in the mainpreferably of metal, may then be thoroughly cleansed and renderedantiseptic and a new bristle-head thereupon putin place, or, if desired,the user need not insert a bris- .tle-head until there is anotheroccasion to use theinstrument. The parts of the instrument are normallyheld in the position indicated in F-ig. l by reason of the normaltendency of the bristles to assume the position shown.

Obviously the particular construction which has been shown and describedin de.- tail may vary in many respects without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention.

I claiml. A bristle-head for a bristle-probang cornprising, a pluralityof bristles arranged substantially in line and secured at their ends,and a bushing within the end of said bristlehead.

2. I n a bristle-probang, a hollow stem, an

operating-rod passing through and coperating with said stem, and abristle-head detachably held by said'stem and operating-rod.

3. In a bristle-probang, a exible hollow stern, an operating-rod passingthrough and cooperating with said stem, and a bristle-head detachablyheld by said stem and operatingrod.

4L. In a' bristle-probang, a flexible hollow stem, an operating-rodcoperating with said stem, a bristle-head detachably held at oppositeends by said stem and operating-rod, an operating-handle at the rear endof said tubular stem, and an operating-handle at the rear of saidoperating-rod, and means for securing together the last-namedoperatinghandle and said operating-rod. Y

5. A dismemberable bristle-probang comprisinga bristle-head havingbushings at each end thereof, an operating-rod passing through saidbushings, a socket carried by said operating-rod and detachably engagingone end of said bristle-head, a tubular stem surrounding a portion ofsaid operating-rod and carrying a socket at one end to detachably engagethe other end of said bristle-head, and means whereby said operating-rodmay be moved within said tubular stem.

G. A dismemberable bristle-probang consisting in the combination and ofthe following parts, a bristle-head having metallic tubes inserted inthe ends-to form bushings for the dilating-rod, a dilating-rod having athimble at the head end thereof to receive and detachably hold one endof the head, a tubular flexible stem made from spring-wire woundspirally, and having a thimble at one end to receive and detachably holdthe other end of the head, a tubular handle fixed to the other end ofthe flexible stem and a socket-piece provided with a set-screw todetachably hold the dilating-rod in the iiexible stem and the ends ofthe bristle-head in the thimbles, substantially as specified. p

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I aix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD P. MCCULLY.

Vitnesses:

ADAM WIENER, WILToN C. DoNN.

